As the temple doors opened, the Five-Colored Divine Light within Kong Xuan sank.
The five Origins-azure, yellow, red, black, and white-could ordinarily sweep away all arts.
Yet now, as though confronted by an invisible prohibition, they dared not release even an inch of light.
Yin Jiao entered the Ruined Temple and knelt directly on the cyan stone floor without the slightest hesitation.
"Your disciple Yin Jiao pays his respects, Master."
"The battle at Golden Rooster Ridge has changed. General Kong was wounded by Zhunti's Dream Art. I took the liberty of bringing him here to seek an audience."
Kong Xuan stood outside the threshold.
He did not kneel immediately.
Phoenix Clan Royal Scion, the first peacock between heaven and earth, he rarely bowed his head to anyone below a Sage.
Even after his defeat at the hands of Zhunti's incarnation, the pride in his bones had not dissipated.
But in the next breath, his gaze fell upon the temple's interior.
The Ruined Temple was tiny.
There were no jade steps of an immortal palace, no towering rays of rosy light, and no ranks of divine generals from the heavens arrayed in welcome.
A clay Divine Statue stood silently behind the incense smoke.
An old Incense Burner sat half in light, half in shadow.
In the corner, a blue lamp cast faint, flickering light and shadows.
Gu Changqing stood with his back to them, trimming the wick with an old pair of scissors.
The scissors gently closed.
Snip.
The flame leaped.
Kong Xuan's Primordial Spirit shuddered with it.
He abruptly looked toward the corner.
Several dust-covered old objects lay there.
They looked like utensils casually set aside in an ordinary household, yet a single glance made Kong Xuan feel his Five Elements Origin pressed into stillness.
Creation Resonance rose and